Former No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell has shown massive improvement with his performance since the Los Angeles Lakers traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in the summer of 2017. In his second year in Brooklyn, the 22-year-old point guard is named as an NBA All-Star for the first time after averaging 19.6 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.1 steals on 43.7 percent shooting from the field and 37.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

As of now, D’Angelo Russell and the Nets are focused on ending their three-year playoff drought in the 2018-19 NBA season. However, when the season is over and the 2019 NBA free agency starts, the Nets are expected to become aggressive in improving their current roster. The Nets are one of the NBA teams who could open enough salary cap space to give a max contract to incoming free agent superstars like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Klay Thompson, and Jimmy Butler.

Though he’s also set to hit the free agency market next summer, D’Angelo Russell expressed his willingness to help recruit quality players that could boost the Nets’ chance of contending for the NBA championship title. In a recent interview with ESPN‘s Jalen Rose and Mike Greenberg, Russell said that their performance in the 2018-19 NBA season will play a major role in their free agency recruitment in the 2019 NBA offseason.

“I mean we understand its a business,” Russell said, as transcribed by SB Nation’s Nets Daily. “I got to be in Brooklyn to recruit someone to be in Brooklyn. I think that with the situation that we have with the young talent and like I said, we surprised a lot of people this year with the play that we have and I think we have a great situation for anybody to come in and be open with two arms.”

D'Angelo Russell is showing why patience is required with young players, especially point guards. Even as a rookie during the Kobe Bryant farewell tour, Russell flashed his potential (https://t.co/pgk578oe38). Keep this in mind when assessing other young PGs like DSJ, Lonzo, etc.

Days before the February NBA trade deadline, rumors and speculations have started to circulate that the Nets are “intrigued by the idea” of adding Anthony Davis to their roster. In a potential Pelicans-Nets trade deal, a previous Inquisitr article suggested that D’Angelo Russell would be the center of the trade package that will be sent to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony Davis. Luckily for Russell, the rumors didn’t gain any traction.

When asked by ESPN‘s Jalen Rose and Mike Greenberg about the possibility that the Nets could trade him for a legitimate NBA superstar, D’Angelo Russell refused to give a comment. Russell said that he’s already prepared for whatever happens and added that he understands that NBA is a business.